Services

Our practice can provide a wide range of cosmetic dental services which are listed below.  Our emphasis is on total preventive care for our patients but for those who want or need to change their smile we can help!  

Our practice also provides the highest-quality services for restoring mouths that have been damaged by dental disease and injury and common problems that require cosmetic dentistry. Our primary goal for our patients is to achieve and maintain optimum oral health through advances in techniques, technologies and by maintaining their scheduled dental exams.


Dental Implants

Dental implants are artificial tooth replacements that were first developed half a century ago by a Swedish scientist named Per-Ingvar Branemark. Implants arose from the patient’s need to secure loose-fitting dentures. Since the advent of the implant, engineering and enhancements to the implant have enabled dentists to expand the implant’s usefulness, including the replacement of missing or lost teeth. Today, implant techniques provide a wide range of tooth replacement solutions including:

  • Single Tooth Replacement
  • Anterior Replacement
  • Posterior Replacement
  • Full Upper Replacement

Types of Implants

There are three main types of implants:

  • The root implant
  • The plate form implant
  • The subperiosteal implant

The root implant—by far, the most popular—is the most effective because it mirrors the size and shape of a patient’s natural tooth. This implant is often as strong as the patient’s original tooth. The implant or artificial root is placed into the jawbone under local anesthesia, then allowed to heal and integrate with the bone. Once the healing process is completed and the jawbone is attached to the implant, the patient returns to the dental office where the implant is fitted with the new tooth. This process generally takes anywhere from three to eight months.

The plate form implant is ideal in situations where the jawbone is not wide enough to properly support a root implant. The plate form implant is long and thin, unlike the root implant, and anchors into thin jawbones. It is inserted the same way as a root implant. In certain cases, the plate form implant is immediately fitted with the restoration without waiting for the healing process to run its course.

The subperiosteal implant is used when the jawbone has receded to the point where it can no longer support a permanent implant.

Post Implant Care

Although proper oral hygiene is always recommended for maintaining good dental health, it is especially important when a patient has received a dental implant. Bacteria can attack sensitive areas in the mouth when teeth and gums are not properly cleaned, thus causing gums to swell and jaw bones to gradually recede. Recession of the jawbone will weaken implants and eventually make it necessary for the implant to be removed. Patients are advised to visit their dentists at least twice a year to ensure the health of their teeth and implants. Dental implants can last for decades when given proper care.

  • Click here to learn more about dental implants

  • Ceramic Crowns

    A crown is a permanent covering that fits over an original tooth that is either decayed, damaged or cracked. Crowns are made of a variety of different materials such as porcelain, gold, acrylic resin or a mix of these materials. We offer ceramic crowns for our patients.

    The treatment plan for a patient receiving a crown involves:

    1. Numbing the tooth to remove the decay in or around it.
    2. Re-sculpturing the tooth to provide an ideal fit for the crown.
    3. Making an impression of your teeth in order to create a custom-made crown (usually takes one to two weeks).
    4. Making a temporary crown out of acrylic resin and fitting it onto the tooth during the interim period when the permanent custom-made crown is being created.
    5. Applying the permanent crown (when received from the lab) by removing the temporary crown and fitting the permanent one onto the tooth.
    6. After ensuring that the crown has the proper look and fit, the dentist cements it into place.

    This process generally consists of a minimum of two to three visits over a three to four week period. Once the procedure is completed, proper dental hygiene, including daily brushing and flossing, is required to maintain healthy, bacteria-free teeth, gums and crowns. This helps in the prevention of gum disease. Given proper care, your crowns can last a lifetime.

  • Click here to learn more about ceramic crowns

  • Composite Fillings

    Tooth colored fillings are ideal for patients wishing to maintain the natural beauty of their smile. Composite fillings are closely matched to the natural color of your teeth and bond well to the tooth. While not as strong as metal fillings, tooth colored fillings are durable and should last up to 6-12 years. Composite fillings are usually used on the front teeth offering optimal aesthetics.

  • Click here to learn more about composite fillings

  • Venus Whitening

    Your teeth will darken over time. Changes in the color of your teeth can be caused by such factors as the food and beverages consumed (like coffee, tea and soda). Other known factors for discoloration may include childhood medications or illnesses, tobacco use or improper oral hygiene. Restoring your natural white smile is a priority for our dental whitening team. We can provide a variety of options for whitening your smile.

    Tooth whitening services are growing in popularity, and it’s one of the most requested services offered by our practice. Everyone sees the growing consumer market focused on whiter teeth. The reality is that over-the-counter, “too good to be true” solutions typically don’t work.

    We are trained professionals using industry-approved methods. We use the Venus White Teeth Whitening System. Our goal is to meet the needs of every patient, and every patient’s needs are different. Venus White Teeth is a gentle hydrogen-peroxide gel-activated solution that contains potassium nitrate to help reduce sensitivity associated with bleaching. Our process will whiten your entire smile in one visit. Call us today for a whitening evaluation.

    Nothing improves your appearance more than a bright, white smile!

  • Click here to learn more about venus whitening

  • Occlusal Sealants

    The grooves and depressions that form the chewing surfaces of the back teeth are extremely difficult (if not impossible) to clean of bacteria and food. As the bacteria reacts with the food, acids form and break down the tooth enamel, causing cavities. Recent studies indicate that 88 percent of total cavities in American school children are caused this way.

    Tooth sealants protect these susceptible areas by sealing the grooves and depressions, preventing bacteria and food particles from residing in these areas. Sealant material is a resin typically applied to the back teeth, molars and premolars and areas prone to cavities. It lasts for several years but needs to be checked during regular appointments.

  • Click here to learn more about occlusal sealants

  • Empress Onlays

    Onlays are indirect restorations that cover a portion or the entire chewing surface of a tooth. They are a great alternative to traditional metal fillings primarily because less of the tooth structure needs to be removed. Onlays are suitable for treating mild to moderate decay, and can be used to restore a cracked or fractured tooth if the damage is not extensive enough to require a crown.

    Onlays can be made from porcelain, gold or composite resin. Once fabricated, they are securely bonded to the tooth.

    The advantages of onlays include:

    • Since they can be fabricated from tooth-colored materials, inlays and onlays are aesthetically pleasing. Unlike traditional metal fillings, the restoration is virtually invisible.
    • Less removal of the tooth structure is required to achieve optimal results.
    • They do not cause excessive wear and tear to opposing tooth structures.
    • Inlays and onlays prevent the need for more significant treatment in the future.

    The process for placing onlays generally requires two or more office visits. Initially, once the decay is removed, your dentist will take an impression of the tooth. A temporary restoration is placed until the custom-made onlay is manufactured in a laboratory.

    Following a proper oral hygiene regimen daily ensures the success and longevity of your new restoration.

  • Click here to learn more about empress onlays

  • Direct Composite Veneers

    Veneers are thin, semi-translucent “shells” typically attached to your front teeth. Veneers are customized from porcelain material and permanently bonded to your teeth. Veneers are a great alternative to otherwise painful dental procedures to improve the appearance of your smile.

    Common problems that veneers are used for:

    • Spaces between the teeth
    • Broken or chipped teeth
    • Unsightly, stained or discolored teeth
    • Permanently stained or discolored teeth
    • Crooked or misshapen teeth

    Veneers are a great aesthetic solution to your smile that may even help you avoid orthodontic treatment. Subtle changes to your smile can be achieved with veneers, and in most cases, veneer application is completed in only two office visits.

    Please contact our office if you have any further questions on veneers.

  • Click here to learn more about direct composite veneers

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    Hours of Operation

    Our Regular Schedule

    R Shawn Essey, DMD

    Monday:

    8:00 am-5:00 pm

    Tuesday:

    8:00 am-5:00 pm

    Wednesday:

    7:00 am-4:00 pm

    Thursday:

    9:00 am-6:00 pm

    Friday:

    Closed

    Saturday:

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    Sunday:

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